


Scuttlebutt

by Jerry_Larchive



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-17
Updated: 2017-07-17
Packaged: 2018-12-03 12:07:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11531898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jerry_Larchive/pseuds/Jerry_Larchive
Summary: Immediately after the explosion, rumors and scuttlebutt swirl around the hospital. It seems April is not the only one who thinks they see something.A single shot of Japril fluff.





	Scuttlebutt

In the parking lot after the explosion, two nurses were talking.

“Did you see the way he was looking at her?”

“I know. He obviously has feelings for her.”

“Do you think she likes him too?”

“Seems pretty obvious to me. Besides, her track record with relationships has been pretty sketchy.”

“They've spent a lot of time together recently.”

“But it's not like he's available.”

“Sweetie, are they ever really _unavailable_? I mean it's not like his relationship with HER has been all perfect.”

“True that. But still ...”

“Don't be so naive. In the history of this hospital have we ever seen a relationship last?”

“So true. But theirs seemed so solid.”

“Except when they were separated by hundreds of miles.”

“And when she took the Chief job.”

“Yeah, he didn't like that much did he?”

“Nope, remember them going around saying _Church and State_ all the time?”

“Yeah, but Warren and April Kepner?”

“We both saw it.”

“Yeah, the _LOOK_.”

An hour later the whole hospital was whispering about Ben Warren's affair with April Kepner.

  
  


When Richard Webber heard the rumor, he didn't believe it. But Bailey was his girl and he would do anything to protect her. But how? First he had to substantiate the rumor. Who would know? Who could he trust? He had become very close to Stephanie Edwards lately. She, in turn was close to Ben. She might know. Besides, he had heard she was badly hurt in the explosion so he wanted to see her anyway.

“DeLuca, turn the morphine up as high as it will go, please.” the shivering Stephanie requested.

“Edwards, one last thing. Has Ben said anything to you about having ,,, feelings for … anyone?” Richard asked carefully, mindful that DeLuca was standing right there listening.

The morphine was already taking effect. “Feelings?” Edwards said dreamily. “Warren?”

“Yes, Ben Warren.”

“Oh, I love Ben.” Edwards purred. “Expect an invite.” she smiled. “He's sooo goood.”

Richard and DeLuca looked at each other. Was Edwards confessing to an affair with Ben? Richard was stunned. Was Ben sleeping with Kepner AND Edwards? What a disaster! Now what do I do? The only thing he could think of was to ask Meredith for advice.

  
  


Shortly after Richard left Stephanie's room, Jackson walked in.

“Steph.”

“Jackson, you came.” Edwards singsonged a reply to him.

Avery looked at DeLuca. In answer, DeLuca told him, “She's gorked on morphine.”

“Oh Jackson, it feels so good. But it always feels so good with you.”

Jackson smiled. “Steph, I looked all through the hospital for you.”

“Really? Why? Did you want to join me in an on-call room?”

DeLuca's eyes widened. He wasn't aware of Jackson's history with Stephanie. Was Steph sleeping with Jackson?

“No, Steph, not tonight.” Jackson answered, still smiling at how out of it Edwards was, and totally unaware of the impression this conversation was giving DeLuca.

“Aww, spoilsport. You've never turned me down before.”

“True, but how about we let you heal up before we think about anything like that again?” Jackson answered, humoring her morphine induced delirium.

  
  


“What? Ben and April?”

“Yes.” replied Richard. “And Ben may be sleeping with Edwards too.”

“That's absurd. Ben loves Bailey. He wouldn't cheat on her.”

“That's what I thought. But I just heard it straight from Edwards mouth. She loves him.”

“Well, Edwards does have some history sleeping with other doctor's here at the hospital. April too. But Ben Warren? He's always so steady and quiet.”

“Except when he's doing emergency C-sections. Which reminds me, why was he here alone with Kepner on Hunt's wedding day?”

“I don't know. No when ever said. You don't suppose that..? But April was nine months pregnant.”

“I know, I know, but still...”

“You know its always the quiet ones.”

“Yes, and maybe that flying under the radar is intentional on his part.”

Meredith could only shake her head. 

  
  


“What's bothering you?” Cross asked DeLuca.

“Nevermind, just something I overheard. Probably just a misunderstanding.” DeLuca answered.

“I'm the king of misunderstandings. Wait, that didn't sound right. Anyway, what did you hear?”

“Can you keep a secret?” DeLuca asked his fellow intern.

“Of course.” answered Cross, hoping it was something about Jo.

“Well, I think Edwards is sleeping with both Ben Warren and Jackson Avery.”

“Together? Like a ménage à trois?”

  
  


“That's what he said, a ménage à trois, Ben, Jackson, and Stephanie.”

“Bullshit, Jo, that ain't happening” Alex answered. “Cross hasn't gotten anything right since the day he walked into the hospital.”

“Well, Jackson and Stephanie sure were hot and heavy for awhile and now that he and Kepner are done, why wouldn't he go back for more?”

“Because he wouldn't, that's why. He's still got a thing for Kepner.”

“Yeah, that's why I saw him yelling at her in the parking lot tonight.”

“A ménage à trois?” Even if Jackson was back to tapping it with Edwards, he couldn't see Ben Warren joining in.

“Why not? Ben's his best friend. You've probably at least thought about sharing yourself.”

“Not a chance.” Karev lied. “For one thing, I don't want to see another guy's junk.”

“But a girl seeing another girls junk is okay?”

“Well, yeah, totally different.” Which touched off quite a long argument between them.

“Look, I'll ask Mer. She knows everything that's going on at the hospital.”

“Of course.” Jo answered. “You'll believe Meredith Gray but not me.”

And that led to another argument.

  
  


“What's bothering you?” Amelia asked her sister in law.

“Oh, nothing.” Meredith answered.

“Ha! I know that look. Spill it.”

“It's just that Richard told me something very disturbing tonight and Alex just confirmed it and added details that make it even worse.”

“Disturbing? What?” asked Maggie Pierce, brought out of her reverie over what April had said to her.

  
  


“But April told me tonight that Jackson has feelings for me.”

“Feelings? Edwards is on the sidelines so he and Ben need you to sub in to their little deviant party.” cried Meredith.

“Do you suppose April knows that Ben is sleeping with Edwards too?” asked Amelia.

“Or that Jackson is? That poor baby of hers isn't going to know who's her father and who's her uncle.”

“And what about Bailey? Someone's gotta tell her.” said Amelia.

“Ohh, what a mess!” Meredith said.

“Jackson wanted me to join a ménage à trois with him and Ben. Imagine that.” Maggie said, shaking her head.

Amelia looked at her. “Almost sounds like you're considering it.”

“What? Me? No.” Maggie protested unconvincingly.

“Maggie!” cried Meredith.

“So now what do we do?” asked Amelia.

“I've got to tell Bailey.” answered Meredith.

  
  


Bailey listened stoically while Meredith revealed the entirety of the sordid details behind her husband's infidelity. Then she collapsed in laughter.

Later that morning, she gathered all the parties together that had been involved in spreading the rumors around the hospital the previous night, excepting, or course, the two nurses who had observed April and Ben and reached a conclusion that had started the whole thing in the first place.

“So, what's this all about?” asked Jackson, completely oblivious to any of the feelings or actions attributed to him in the last twelve hours.

“I just wanted to get everyone together to clear the air about some interesting rumors that have been circulating through the hospital since last night.

“Rumors?” asked Ben, equally unaware.

“Rumors,” answered Bailey, “largely centered on the two of you.” She indicated Ben and Jackson.

They looked at each other quizzically. Bailey thought, oh I'm going to enjoy this.

“Apparently,” she began, “the two of you have been engaging in a little ménage à trois with Stephanie Edwards.”

Ben's jaw dropped into his lap and Jackson's eyes widened. “A what now?”

DeLuca looked angrily at Cross. I knew I shouldn't have said anything to him, he thought.

April Kepner's jaw dropped almost as far as Ben's. 

Richard Webber looked confused. “No, Ben is sleeping with Edwards and Kepner. No one said anything about a ménage à trois.”

That sent April's jaw to new depths.

Jackson looked at his ex wife. “What?”

Ben, his mouth still wide open, looked at his wife. Her smile back at him reassured him that she knew the truth of this madness. And that she was intent on deriving maximum entertainment from it.

Meredith answered Webber. “We're not sure April knows about the ménage à trois or that Ben is also sleeping with Edwards.”

“April, when you told me that Jackson had feelings for me you weren't trying to get me to take Stephanie's place in the ménage à trois were you?” asked Maggie.

“Feelings, what?” Jackson was looking directly at April and trying desperately to catch up.

Finally, Ben decided that Bailey had gotten enough enjoyment out of this mess. He stood up.

“Everyone. Just to be clear. I am not sleeping with anyone but my wife and I have no desire to. Not sure how that got started but I hope that clears everything up for everyone.”

Jackson stood up as well. “Yes, me either. I mean, I'm not sleeping with anyone either. As for the desire to, well, that's between the two of us.” He continued to look directly at April. “Now whats this about feelings?”

Now all the attention in the room became focused on April. It made her extremely uncomfortable. She remained silent.

It was Maggie who spoke up. “April thought she saw something between us last night. She thought she saw that you have feelings for me.”

“Of course I do, you're my sister.” Jackson answered.

“That's what I tried to tell her.” answered the cardio surgeon.

Finally, April spoke, “But I saw the look you gave her.”

Jackson looked at her again. “Which one? The one that said I'm glad that my sister is safe out here with the person I ...” he didn't finish his sentence. Then he continued.

“Or the one that said _Look, you were right, she still cares about me, just like you told me she did._ ”

Meredith nudged Amelia. “Bailey, if we're all done here, I have patients to see.”

“Yes, me too.” Richard said.

“Meeting adjourned. Back to work, people. Except you Kepner and you Avery. I think you need sit here and figure out how to keep these crazy rumors from getting started again.” Bailey said.

“But...” April began to protest.

“Orders, Kepner.” Bailey shut her down quickly.

  
  


In short order, April and Jackson were alone.

“Feelings, huh?” he said.

“Shut up.” she answered.

“So how did you get that idea?”

“The way you looked at her last night...”

“And that told you I had feelings for her?”

“I know your looks,” April insisted, “I thought.”

Jackson smiled at her. Should he take a chance? Yeah, he'd better. Since she obviously had missed the point in Montana.

“What did you make out of us sleeping together in Montana?”

April looked up into his eyes. Those frickin eyes.

“I don't know, once more for old times sake?”

“You know, I hate to criticize, but you really are crappy at this.”

“At what?”

“Guessing what I'm feeling.”

April could only stare at her ex-husbands face. “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. For instance, what am I feeling right now?”

April considered. Should she take a chance? Yeah, she could.

“That maybe Montana was about a fresh start? That maybe we should give it one more try?”

Jackson smiled at her again. “Even a broken clock is right twice a day.” he answered.

And he kissed her.

And rumor has it that she kissed him back.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired in part by the Collective Challenge and a personal need to revisit Japril fluffiness, I thought this sounded like fun.


End file.
